Barcode scanner with tool free tower housing assembly

ABSTRACT

A barcode scanner with a tool free tower housing assembly. The barcode scanner includes a base, a tower section coupled to the base, and a tower housing assembly over the tower section including a tower housing and a bezel that are installable and removable without hand tools.

BACKGROUND

Dual-aperture scanners have a tower that extends above a checkstand. Thetower includes elements that may periodically require servicing, such asbuttons, speakers, and light emitting diodes. Additionally, this spacemay be used to contain other serviceable components, such as anelectronic article surveillance antenna, a radio frequencyidentification antenna, and other electronics.

Tower housings must be sturdy enough to allow gripping during carrying,installation, and removal of scanners from checkstands. Typical towerhousings are fastened with screws for structural support. However,fasteners make servicing of components with the tower housing moredifficult.

It would be desirable to provide a tower housing assembly which does notrequire tools to install or remove so that technicians may more easilyservice components within the tower housing assembly.

SUMMARY

A barcode scanner with a tool free tower housing assembly is provided.

The barcode scanner includes a base, a tower section coupled to thebase, and a tower housing assembly over the tower section including atower housing and a bezel that are installable and removable withouthand tools.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an optical scanner with the towerhousing assembly removed;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the optical scanner of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are perspective views illustrating installation of atower housing;

FIG. 4 is a perspective views illustrating installation of a bezel;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating installation of the towerhousing and a tower bezel;

FIG. 6 is a first detailed view illustrating attachment of the towerhousing;

FIG. 7 is a second detailed view illustrating attachment of the towerhousing and the bezel; and

FIG. 8 is a third detailed view illustrating attachment of the bezel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, optical scanner 10 includes base 12,which provides a foundation for other components of optical scanner 10.Base 12 may be made of metal. Front lip 28 serves to support scanner 10in a checkout counter.

Optical scanner 10 includes a horizontal section 20, which includesmirror housing 22, scales 24, and debris guard 25.

Mirror housing 22 contains a first set of pattern mirrors for generatinga first set of scan lines. Mirror housing 22 further includes window 26through which the first set of scan lines pass for scanning an item froma first plurality of directions.

Scales 24 serve to weigh produce items. In a fully assembled state,optical scanner 10 further includes a frame that ties scales 24 togetherand provides support pins for a weigh plate with an aperture similar towindow 26.

Debris guard 25 catches debris that falls from products.

Optical scanner 10 further includes a vertical or tower section 30,which includes mirror housing 32 and electronics 34.

Mirror housing 32 contains a second set of pattern mirrors forgenerating a second set of scan lines. Mirror housing 32 furtherincludes window 36 through which the second set of scan lines pass forscanning the item from a second plurality of directions.

In order to support installation of tower housing 60 (FIG. 3), mirrorhousing 32 includes attachment points 40, 42, and 44. Attachment points40 are located on top of mirror housing 32, behind window 36, andinclude attachment posts 38 with apertures 50. Attachment point 42 islocated along the bottom rear edge of mirror housing 32 and includes achannel 52 formed in base 12. Attachment points 44 are located on frontleft and right sides of mirror housing 32 and include apertures 54 inthe front wall 55 of tower section 30.

Mirror housing 32 further includes limit points 46 which provide a limitof forward movement of tower housing 60 during installation and supporthousing 60 after installation. Limit points 46 are illustrated as raisedwall or post features on top of mirror housing 32.

Electronics 34 includes control circuitry for controlling operation ofone or more lasers and motors and for decoding barcode information,scale electronics, and operator instrumentation and controls.Electronics 34 may also include peripherals combined into opticalscanner 10, such as electronic article surveillance systems and radiofrequency identification systems.

With reference to FIGS. 3 a-b, installation of tower housing 60 isillustrated.

Tower housing 60 generally conforms to the shape of mirror housing 32and includes handle grips 62 on its rear surface for carrying,installing, and removing scanner 10 from a checkout counter.

Tower housing 60 includes flanges 64 which engage attachment points 40through apertures 50 during installation. Flanges 64 include detents 65which retain flanges 64 within apertures 50. Tower housing 60 furtherincludes lip 66 (FIG. 5) which engages attachment point 42 by seating inchannel 52 during installation.

To begin the installation, tower housing 60 is aligned on base 12 behindmirror housing 32. Tower housing 60 is then slid horizontally towardsmirror housing 32 until flanges 64 engage attachment posts 38 and lip 66seats in channel 52. Flanges 64 are depressed slightly away from anormal bias position in order to allow detents 65 to pass throughapertures 50. Limit points 46 engage tower housing 60 to provideopposing snap force on flanges 64.

Together, attachment points 40 and 42 retain tower housing 60 in place,even during lifting of scanner 10, without requiring separate fasteners,such as screws.

Removal of tower housing 60 begins with depressing of flanges 64 tounseat detents 65 from attachment posts 38. Tower housing 60 is thenslid horizontally rearward until lip 66 is clear of channel 52.

With reference to FIG. 4-8, attachment points 40, 42, and 44 are shownin more detail, as well as installation of bezel 70.

Bezel 70 includes aperture 71 which is about the size of window 36.Bezel 70 further includes upper flanges 72 and lower flanges 74. (FIG.5) Upper flange 72 seats within a recess 76 formed between attachmentpost 38 and tower housing 60. Limit points 46 help maintain recess 76.

Lower flanges 74 seat within apertures 54 of attachment points 44. Lowerflanges 74 include detents 75 which retain flanges 74 within apertures54.

Installation of bezel 72 includes first positioning bezel 70 in front ofwindow 36 and then lowering bezel 70 to engage flanges 72 withinrecesses 76. After flanges 72 are located within recesses 76, pressureis applied to the lower left and right sides of bezel 70 to seat flanges74 within apertures 54. Flanges 74 bend slightly away from a normal biasposition in order to allow detents 75 to pass through apertures 54.

Removal proceeds in opposite fashion by first pulling bezel 70 away fromtower housing 60 to using pull features 73 to release flanges 74 fromattachment points 44, and then raising bezel 70 to remove flanges 72from recesses 76.

Although particular reference has been made to certain embodiments,variations and modifications are also envisioned within the spirit andscope of the following claims.

1. A dual-aperture barcode scanner comprising: a base section includinga channel; a tower section on the base section including a substantiallyvertical window on a first side; a top attachment post containing afirst aperture; a limit point; and a front attachment wall containing asecond aperture; a tower housing slidably installed over the towersection from a second side of the tower section opposite the first sideincluding a hand grip; a flange which engages the attachment postthrough the first aperture; a lip which engages the channel to supportlifting of the scanner from the hand grip; wherein the limit pointlimits movement of the tower housing during installation, supports thetower housing after the installation, and establishes a recess betweenthe tower housing and the top attachment post; and a bezel installedover the tower section from the first side including a third apertureabout equal in size to the substantially vertical window; an upperflange which seats in the recess; and a lower flange which engages thefront attachment wall through the second aperture; wherein the cover andthe bezel are installable and removable without hand tools.
 2. Adual-aperture barcode scanner comprising: a base section including achannel; a first mirror housing in the base section including asubstantially horizontal window and containing a first set of patternmirrors for sending a first set of scanning beams through thesubstantially horizontal window; a second mirror housing rising from thebase section including a substantially vertical window on a first sideand containing a second set of pattern mirrors for sending a second setof scanning beams through the substantially vertical window; wherein thesecond mirror housing further includes a top attachment post containinga first aperture; a limit point; and a front attachment wall containinga second aperture; a cover for the second mirror housing slidablyinstalled from a second side of the second mirror housing opposite thefirst side including a hand grip; a flange which engages the attachmentpost through the first aperture; a lip which engages the channel tosupport lifting of the scanner from the hand grip; wherein the limitpoint limits movement of the cover during installation, supports thatcover after the installation, and establishes a recess between the coverand the top attachment post; and a bezel for the second mirror housinginstalled from the first side of the second mirror housing including athird aperture about equal in size to the substantially vertical window;an upper flange which seats in the recess; and a lower flange whichengages the front attachment wall through the second aperture; whereinthe cover and the bezel are installable and removable without handtools.